


Full Bloom

by DenebYL



Category: Atelier Escha & Logy: Alchemists of the Dusk Sky, アトリエ | Atelier & Related Fandoms, 黄昏のアトリエ | Atelier: Dusk Series (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, NelkeGiftExchange, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-30
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-19 10:54:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17599964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DenebYL/pseuds/DenebYL
Summary: As the seasons change, so did Logy's feelings.From a tiny spark on a hot summer day to a full bloom during a tranquil spring.-For the Nelke Gift Exchange on Twitter!-





	Full Bloom

**Author's Note:**

> For the Secret Santa Nelke Gift Exchange 2018 on Twitter!
> 
> Full disclosure: If you came here from my tweet, I've written that I don't know Escha & Logy. Apart from the times my best friends have talked about them a thousand and one times in the group chat. 
> 
> When the request came to me, I attempted to do Liane/Firis (But it didn't work out :\\). I didn't know any of the other ateliers requested, and Escha/Logy was my best bet. Of course, this meant that as I wrote this fic, I had to go back and forth between several different friends asking for their opinions, and going through as many Escha & Logy gameplay videos I could.
> 
> And this is the final product! I hope you're happy with this, Viv. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
> 
> ...Nelke soon bois and grills and nbs

Logy found himself staring at Escha for a bit too long on a hot summer’s day.

For Logy, summer mornings hold a modicum of happiness that his heart holds dear no matter what; it sounds of laughter, it looks like patches of grass bathed in brilliant light, and the amber of the sky reminds him of lazy days.

That’s why you’d find him gazing over the apple orchard, alone under a tree as he confides under the shade of the tree he takes lunch breaks under.

But there’s a distinct difference here, for him. Under the warmth of Colseit’s summer’s sun, he finds himself looking towards Escha, his attention occupied by how she was having a conversation with Awin gleefully.

He notices how her slender fingers curl around her staff. How it sometimes tightens when she’s trying to make a point. How the pink of hair falls ever so softly on her skin, a tilt of the head having it brush against her shoulder. And he finds himself unable to hold back the small smile that forms when he sees that tail on her back move.

She was like the Sun – how people loved her and how they treasured her, they orbit around her at the perfect distance. She was bright and wonderful, unfailingly kind, she drew everyone towards her – and Logy was not immune to it. He had found himself warm up to her and without realising it, he had gravitated towards her with feelings he did not think would surface.

He found himself watching her as if she held the world in her palms and as if green petals were scattered in her eyes, the air thick with a tenderness so affectionate that he found himself wearing a smile on his face.

Though it quickly faded when he noticed how Awin was looking at him.

Very knowingly.

_Uh..._

“Logy!”

She called out, her voice sweet and pleasantly surprised.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m taking a break.”

He knew that he sounded a bit hesitant toward the end – but he hoped she wouldn't catch on.

“Hmm…”

She tilted her head to the side, as if she were assessing him – very carefully.

Hues of pink dusted Logy’s cheeks, and he only managed to get out of the situation was a simple complaint about how hot the weather was.

But a quick glance over to Awin had indicated that he didn’t fall for it.

“I’m sure you are, Logy.”

-

Logy realised how much Escha had changed him on a rainy autumn afternoon.

On that exact day, he sighed as he was gazing out the window. The raindrops were steady and gentle, descending upon the yellow on the plains that would usually be seen at this time of the day. He turns to Escha, who was happily sipping on the tea he had made for the both of them.

“Oh!” She nodded to herself. “This tea is really good!”

“Really?”

“It really is. I think it’s…” She trailed off, trying to find the words she meant to say. “Hmm, I could’ve sworn I know this. But, yes! Thank you, Logy!”

She smiled, but then it slowly faded as she fidgeted while looking at the plate as if contemplating something. Before Logy could ask what was wrong, she pushed the plate of biscuits further towards Logy’s side.

“Huh?”

Logy stared at them, and it earned him a small giggle from Escha.

“Um… Well! These go well with the tea.” She put her hands together on her lap as she looked directly at him – urging him to take a piece. “Give them a try.”

He leaned forward, and reached out for the one on the top of the pile.

_…Vanilla? And it matches with the tea…_

“Good, right?” She chirped. “Vanilla Viennese Swirls go really well with floral tea – a little something Firis told me!”

“Yeah. It’s… really good.”

He said, taking more bites out of the cookie he had in his hand.

“I’m glad! Because…” Escha then turned to dig something out of her bag. “Here you go! I, um… I made some for you.”

She shyly placed a small bag of cookies placed inside a transparent plastic decorated with Puni patterns and a pastel blue ribbon on top. She then placed both her hands on her lap as she watched Logy’s reaction, and then she turned to look at him - pink dusting her cheeks as she smiled at him.

He quietly examines the gift, a sweet smile on his face indicating how much he found the gesture endearing.

“Thank you.” He smiled in return

“O-Of course!” There was a faint curve on her lips as she put her hands together in front of her chest, and then she shyly looked down. “I… really hope you like these cookies.”

_Huh?_

Logy bit his lip, wondering if he heard her wrong...

He did just try some… right?

“Um… Are these cookies different?”

“O-Oh, wait! No, they’re the same!” She held her hand up to the side of her head, grinning sheepishly. “I meant to say… I’m glad that you like it.”

They shared a little bit of laughter among each other.

As Escha took another piece, she noticed how Logy was looking at her. Almost immediately, hues of pink glowed on her cheeks again – but this time, accompanied with a small, reciprocal smile.

And Logy knows that smile – his heart knows that smile.

That smile that had made its way into his abandoned heart, and keeps on doing so.

How he, at first, came to Colseit with a heart that was akin to a deserted mansion, bearing naught but guilt.

Empty photographs, locked windows, dusty floors – abandoned and haunted, with remorse echoing in the blank walls.

But Escha – she was a simple knock on the door, and then a breeze of fresh air. Her expressions were still photographs he’d been putting up on the walls. Her gifts to him were souvenirs he’d place on the tabletops and grand chandeliers newly affixed to the ceiling.

It’s then, with a glimmer of hope in his eyes, he realised how radiant gold had fallen in love with warm emerald.

Though they were silent for a bit afterwards, they quickly resumed their conversation about the Mistlud sisters and what to get for them in return.

-

As impossible at it was, Logy found himself wishing that he could put time on pause on one winter evening.

Logy knows to always be realistic. He was a true believer of how useless it is to simply daydream, to get out there yourself and use everything you have to get what you want.

To wish for time to stop was out of the question. He saw no point in it, and had always told himself to use time efficiently.

“I-It’s too cold!” Escha pouted beside him, holding her cheeks with her gloved hands.

“I… I know what you mean.”

It was the type of cold that they could feel even through their thick clothes. The chilly air laid bare their breaths in visible white puffs, and their shivers accompanied by familiar crunchy noises as they kept soldiering on against the harsh, now snowed in, terrain.

It was unfortunate for them that they could no longer rely on the sun. Night had fallen rather quick this particular night, which was odd considering how different the sky was but an hour ago – a fiery amber horizon with golden stretches and cotton candy clouds. 

Looking up now, the sky was a rolling blanket of the occasional streaks of grey, hiding the ethereal glints that lie upon the navy blue. They know that it’s going to get colder and colder, yet their only hope of being able to be back in Colseit in front of a warm, pleasant fire is to find the ingredient as soon as possible.

“Do you… t-think it’s in that bush?” She sighed. “I really hope it is…”

“It should be...”

With that, Escha trailed away from Logy’s side towards a bush nearby. Though he followed suit, Logy heard a faint noise and quietly turned the other way. He scanned the open fields as he tried to discern where the voice had come from.

A quick glance to the right revealed one Green Puni roaming in circles around a tree, and soon enough it made the same sound, and then it turned the other way. 

Telling himself that it was better to be safe than sorry, Logy scanned the area again. But all that was there was snow, and nothing more. The grounds by the trees looking slightly like unfinished paintings – perfect white against intricately detailed brown, with hints of green struggling to make itself known.

Other than that, he could hear light swishing sounds – probably Escha’s tail.

“Logy, look! I’ve finally found it!”

She proudly held up the flowering fruit, and approached Logy with a spring in her step.

“That’s good!” He smiled. “We’re very lucky that we don't have to go in deeper.”

“What a relief! I really thought we’d have to come back another day.” She said, her tail swishing as she cheered to herself as she looked at the fruit.

Escha was so much more energetic and lively on the way home, and occasionally, Logy would catch Escha humming to herself.

He noted how just the sight of her smiling had managed to put a smile on his face. Her happiness really is contagious.

Suddenly, she pointed towards the sky.

“Oh, it’s snowing!”

As if on cue, a sculpted flake makes its way directly in front of Escha. And though it melted as soon as it had made contact with her gloves, more came within seconds.

The snowfall was less of a flurry, but rather a dance.

It was a waltz in pure white, quiet and gentle as if drifting on daydreams. 

“It looks so beautiful!” She giggled, looking up towards the sky. “I really love how it makes everything like a dreamy wonderland...”

Escha quietly watched the sky with fondness in her voice and hope in her eyes. Then, she moved swiftly, trying to catch the snowflakes that fell in front of her.

“Got one more!” She exclaimed happily, then opened her hands. “Oh, actually, I think I caught quite a few!”

She laughed, and turned around as she tried to look for more – she paused as she faced Logy, and let out a bit of a giggle as she looked at him,

“There’s quite a bit of snow on your hair now, Logy!”

In response, Logy’s hand touched the top of his head, and he faintly felt a bit of cold come into contact with his skin.

“Oh, they’re almost the same colour too.”

Escha tilted her head to the side, a warm smile showing.

“Um… I wonder…” She put both her hands behind her back. “I wonder what makes you happy, Logy?”

As if on cue, Logy paused.

_What… makes me happy?_

Logy puts a hand under his chin, and tries his best to hold his thoughts in.

He looked away as he felt a familiar heat rise to his cheeks.

_…You._

“Logy?”

She sing-songed as she tilted her head to the side, a small wave earning Logy’s attention.

“…O-Oh, sorry.” He scratched the side of his head. “I guess… I guess alchemy makes me happy?”

Escha paused at his answer, and let out a small chuckle.

“I… agree! Alchemy makes me happy, too.”

They talked all the way home and Logy found himself oddly at ease, so much so that he hadn’t noticed how close they were side by side.

When they had quieted down and were nearing Colseit, Logy realised that their hands were practically brushing against each other at times.

He could feel her gloves against his skin, and he wondered if she had any idea. Maybe she couldn’t really feel it with those gloves on.

Soon enough, they reached Colseit, and called it a day. But as they parted ways, Logy’s hand feeling at a loss, a lingering feeling of longing.

Though he wondered if Escha did truly notice how close they were, as he could have sworn he saw a tinge of pink on her cheeks when he turned to look right before she left.

As he lay to sleep that night, Logy faced the open window and gazed at the stars. He wondered if it was too selfish of him to hope that they could have paused time, and stayed there a little longer.

-

And as the springtime flowers bloom, so did Logy’s heart.

Daybreak had come, with the sun now resting somewhere by the treetops, making to the baby blue hue upon the sky a little lighter, yet still as gentle as ever. Watercolour shades of green and blue that playfully intertwine, and the blooms were as if promises made between the two to hide their little moments of rendezvous on the horizon.

Fragments of the delicate yet vibrant colours across the flower field that he and Escha were in felt eternal. As if it were the childhood painting that he would daydream of, but could never capture on the canvas.

It sprouts hope, he thinks. How every year, they keep coming back, regardless of how chaotic the past days have been. It comes back and the blooms are always wonderfully choreographed.

He takes note of the flowers that bloom – that mainly of golden, blue, and red, and mumbles about how wonderful they look. He mumbles something about how beautiful they were, but then trailed off when he realised that he didn’t mean to say those thoughts out loud.

But Escha, having heard him, turned to him with a smile on her face.

“I agree, Logy!” She put her palms together. “They really do look wonderful.”

He reciprocated with a small nod, and it felt weird for a moment – that there was someone there to listen to his thoughts that he would accidentally blurt out. To put it rather crudely, that there was someone who cared enough, perhaps.

But he appreciated it.

Logy quietly smiles to himself, admiring the flowers. How the golden blooms glisten with humble pride on top of the crown, how the azure ones harbour the seas in their souls, and how the scarlet ones stand brilliantly with fierce spirits…

“Oh, right. Should we go back now?” He offered. “I think we’ve got everything…”

“Um, let’s see… I think I counted right earlier.”

She lifted the handkerchief from the basket of flowers she was holding, and hummed to herself as she counted their harvest.

But then, as if a light-bulb suddenly lit up on her head, she looked as if she had an amazing idea – but one that she did not quite disclose to Logy.

“Wait, actually… Logy?” She put her hands in front of her chest, clasping them together. “Could you give me a few extra minutes? I’ll be back really soon!”

“Well, we do have time.” Logy nodded. “Alright. I’ll wait here, then...?”

Nodding gleefully, she then asked Logy to hold on to the basket, and then hummed to herself as she walked off to a patch of flowers not far from where they had stood.

His lips had curved into a smile, and he busied himself watching Escha – but then he got distracted by a lone golden flower, of a greater size than the others of the same color resting atop a bed of green.

He walked over to it, and got down on his knees as he held the flower in his palms. The petals curled at the edges, its colour vivid with a delicate amber glow, and Logy was able to detect a vague but sweet fragrance that wafted in the air.

Almost immediately, his mind thought of Escha.

Without him realising it, Escha had walked over to his side and she, too, was admiring the flower.

“It looks so beautiful!” She exclaimed. “Hmm… I wonder what this is?”

“It's unlike anything I've ever seen before..." Logy shook his head. "But it does look amazing.”

“Oh, right!” Escha’s expression turned into a determined one. “Um… I really hope you like it, I made you a flower crown.”

With a wide smile and blushing cheeks, she showed him the flower crown. It was a circle of green with golden blooms spread almost equally on the circle, aquarelle-like azure and scarlet petals decorating the sides as if raindrops on leaves.

“I… um, noticed that you were staring at these flowers for quite some time...” She said, somewhat trailing off at the end. “I thought you liked them, so… I made this for you!”

As she put the flower crown on Logy’s head, he found an odd feeling blossoming in his heart.

“I… I also wanted to thank you for always helping me! And, um, for… for always being there! Um…”

He could see her tail shyly swish side to side as she desperately tried to look for words. He could tell that she was getting flustered.

But he was grateful. And as his eyes met Escha’s, he pondered if it really is possible to love someone more than he thought he could.

“…Thank you, Escha.”

“Um… O-Of course!” She was caught by surprise at his words.

A hue of pink dusted her cheeks almost immediately. She moved a bit awkwardly as she nodded, seemingly unsure of what to say or express in return and smiled.

“Let’s… Let’s go, then?”

“Actually…” He thought for a bit. “Just… one second.”

Logy turned his attention back to the amber flower and plucked it. Then he stood up and turned towards Escha.

He put the flower on top of her right ear, and he couldn’t hold back the smile that soon formed on his lips.

“H-Huh?” She blushed as she felt him come closer.

“This flower, um…” Logy looked to the side, avoiding Escha’s eyes. “…reminds me of you.”

She then tilted her head to the side, unsure of what he meant.

“Um, well…” He put a hand behind his head.

He wasn’t quite sure what situation he had just put himself into.

“It reminds me of how warm, yet gentle you are.”

Logy fidgeted with his hands, completely unsure.

“...and how much you’ve changed me. I-In a good way, I meant.”

He tried to muster up his courage, and sighed – then he turned to look at Escha.

“I–I came to Colseit wanting to get away from it all. The airship accident, Central…” He sighed. “I thought I was completely alone, and I wanted out of it all.”

He could feel his cheeks flush pink.

“…But then, I… met you. And you’ve changed me for the better.”

He watched how the breeze softly let her pink hair drift where the winds roam, and thought about the honey sweet laughter that leaves him yearning for nothing more than her happiness.

And he let his thoughts drift off.

_”H-Huuuuh!? U-Um, I’m… Escha Malier!”_

_”Yaaay! Even Logy admits it! I guess the common phrase plan is proving effective!”_

_”Logy, I finished it! Logy…? Um… Are you thinking about something? If you need to talk, I’d be happy to listen.”_

_…Yes. Welcome home, Logy._

Logy smiles at the fond memories, all the while a flustered Escha stood in front of him.

He chuckles.

She really is the sunrise to his grieving ocean, the birdsong to his cloudy mornings, and the rain to his desolate plains.

Logy cleared his throat, and took a deep breath.

“…So, thank you, Escha.”

Escha’s cheeks gradually become rosy pink. She covered her mouth with her hands, perhaps unsure of what to say.

“U-Um…”

She put a hand up to touch the flower perched on her ear, and had a shy smile on her face.

“O-Of course!” Her eyes gleamed with hope and fondness. “And… you too, Logy.”

Their hands were growing closer to one another, and both of them are well aware of this – as indicated by the pink dusting their cheeks. As the back of their hands touched, they were both hesitant – but their fingers intertwined in the tranquil silence of the comfortable bubble they shared together. 

And all that was there was Escha, Logy, and a longing, fond love that bloomed bright under the pastel sky.

**Author's Note:**

> So like it wasn't meant to be 3.3k I told myself "Oh I'll just take up 750 words each season" but here we are


End file.
